Wall panels and other components for custom enclosures for shipping containers, mobile units and other dwellings

Abstract

Custom enclosures are made using various types of wall systems, roof systems, and floor systems. For example, the wall systems may be made using at least two horizontally offset wall panels that have interface components to allow for connection in a lateral manner with at least one adjacent wall panel, and other interface components to allow for connection to at least one opposing wall panel in a horizontally offset manner.

1 . A custom enclosure comprising:
 a multi-panel wall system having at least one side wall; and   at least one wall panel, for use with the multi-panel wall system, the at least one wall panel comprising:
 a panel section having: 
 front and back surfaces, the back surface being opposite the front surface; and
 left and right side sections that include side surfaces that are each extending away from the panel section and having rear surfaces extending laterally inward therefrom, at least one first interface component at the right side surface, at least one second interface component at the left side surface and at least one third interface component on each of the rear surfaces, 
 
 wherein the at least one first interface component of the wall panel is adapted to connect in a lateral manner with at least one corresponding second interface component of an adjacent wall panel, and 
 wherein the at least one third interface component of the wall panel is adapted to connect to at least one corresponding third interface component on an opposing panel in a horizontally offset manner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the custom enclosure further comprises:
 a floor system, the multi-panel wall system being connected to the floor system;   a ceiling system connected to the multi-panel wall system; and   a releasably connectable roof system connected to the ceiling system and the multi-panel wall system.   
     
     
         3 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first interface component comprises a male portion or a female portion and the at least one second interface component comprises a corresponding female or male portion. 
     
     
         4 . The custom enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the male portion is a hook, and the corresponding female portion is a slot, the hook extending away from the side surface, and the slot being dimensioned to receive the hook of an adjacent wall panel. 
     
     
         5 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second interface component comprises a male portion or a corresponding female portion. 
     
     
         6 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the third interface component on each rear surface is a male portion or a corresponding female portion. 
     
     
         7 . The custom enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the male portion is a hook, and the corresponding female portion is a slot, the hook extending away from the rear surface, wherein the slot is dimensioned to receive the hook of another wall panel. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first, second or third interface component is a slot that includes slits at a lower portion to allow for manufacturing tolerances. 
     
     
         11 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the wall panel is an interior wall panel or a wall panel for an internal wall and a lower portion of the side surfaces of the wall panel comprises a slot for receiving a connection component of the floor system, and/or the wall panel is an exterior wall panel that comprises a lower extension portion for connection to a connection component of the floor system. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first interface component is a female connection having a width that is larger than a corresponding male connection on an adjacent exterior wall panel to allow a male connection on an adjacent exterior wall panel to engage the female connection and then be moved forward so that a third interface connector that is a male connection is moved towards a corresponding female connection on an opposing panel. 
     
     
         14 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sides sections of the wall panel have a thickness such that the wall panels in the first and second wall panel layers are spaced apart in a horizontally offset manner providing a cavity therebetween that is large enough to accommodate placement of insulation, electrical wiring, water and/or gas piping, electrical boxes, electrical devices, at least one other infrastructure component or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the wall panel is an intermediate wall panel that further includes at least one intermediate interface component at a front surface near a first side surface and at least one other intermediate interface component at a second side of the front surface to allow for attachment in a horizontally or laterally offset manner to at least one corresponding third interface component of another wall panel. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the interface components on side surfaces of the wall panel are vertically aligned with one another or laterally offset with respect to one another. 
     
     
         18 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the interface components on side surfaces of the wall panel are laterally offset with respect to one another and located in groups at upper and/or lower end portions of the side surfaces of the wall panels. 
     
     
         19 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the wall panel is used in an internal wall and the wall panel comprises a bottom tab that is directed inwardly from a side surface for connection to a portion of the floor system and for holding contents within the wall panel. 
     
     
         20 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a wall panel system for use as in an exterior wall section, the wall panel system comprising:
 an exterior wall panel layer having a plurality of laterally connected exterior wall panels;   an exterior plate layer having a plurality of exterior plates that are horizontally offset and attached to the exterior wall panels;   a wood structure that is connected to the exterior plate layer, the wood structure comprising wood studs;   a drywall layer having a plurality of drywall sheets that are attached to the wood structure.   
     
     
         21 . The custom enclosure of  claim 20 , wherein the wall panel system further comprises:
 a steel stud layer having a plurality of steel studs; and   at least one additional drywall layer attached to the steel stud layer.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The custom enclosure of  claim 20 , wherein the exterior wall panel layer has a first height and the wood structure has a second height shorter than the first height, the wood structure having a top surface for receiving an upper longitudinal support beam that is adapted for receiving cross beams that form part of a roof support structure and the longitudinal support beam is adjacent an inner surface of the exterior plate layer. 
     
     
         24 . The custom enclosure of  claim 20 , wherein the wall panel system further comprises a rain cap member that is above and extends longitudinally along the exterior wall panel layer. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the wall system comprises:
 a first layer of wall panels having at least one wall panel structured according to a first wall panel type; and   a second layer of wall panels having at least one wall panel structured according to a second wall panel type.   
     
     
         28 . The custom enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the wall system comprises an intermediate wall panel layer that is attachable in a horizontally offset manner to an interior wall panel layer, another intermediate wall panel layer an exterior wall panel layer. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The custom enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the wall system comprises an interior wall panel layer that is attached in a horizontally offset manner to an exterior wall panel layer. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The custom enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the wall system comprises an interior wall panel layer, one or more intermediate wall panel layers and an exterior wall panel layer and each wall panel layer is made using different materials and/or housing different materials. 
     
     
         34 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the wall panel is an insulation wall panel, a bullet resistant wall panel or an explosion absorbing wall panel. 
     
     
         35 . The custom enclosure of  claim 27 , wherein the wall panels in one wall panel layer have a different depth compared to the wall panels in another wall panel layer. 
     
     
         36 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein a sealing method is applied between at least two adjacent laterally offset structural elements. 
     
     
         37 . The custom enclosure of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one set of upper longitudinal support beams for the at least one side wall, where each upper longitudinal support beam has a first portion for connecting to a portion of the side wall of the wall system and a second portion for receiving a portion of the roof system to form a portion of the custom enclosure.   
     
     
         38 . The custom enclosure of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one upper longitudinal support beam comprises a top section, an outer side, an inner side, and a lateral shelf extending from the inner side, the outer side having a first length that is smaller than a second length of the inner side and the first and second sides being spaced apart to form a channel therebetween. 
     
     
         39 . The custom enclosure of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one upper longitudinal support beam comprises a wall adjacent to the lateral shelf that is vertical or angled and a ledge at the upper edge of the wall where the wall is spaced apart from the inner side to form a tray. 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The custom enclosure of  claim 2 , wherein the roof system comprises at least one roof panel including a lower basket with a plurality of apertures to provide sound attenuation for sounds generated within the custom enclosure. 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The custom enclosure of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one upper longitudinal support beam comprises a downward angled edge at a bottom of the outer side to deflect water or snow from an exterior surface of the at least one side wall. 
     
     
         45 . The custom enclosure of  claim 38 , wherein an upper portion of the at least one side wall of the wall system is slidably received within the channel of the at least one upper longitudinal support beam. 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . The custom enclosure of  claim 37 , wherein the custom enclosure comprises a ceiling system having a plurality of ceiling panels and a portion of the ceiling system is placed on an upper edge of the lateral shelf of the at least one longitudinal support beam. 
     
     
         50 . The custom enclosure of  claim 49 , wherein the length of the inner side of the at least one longitudinal support beam is predefined to provide space for a cavity between the roof system and the ceiling system. 
     
     
         51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the custom enclosure comprises corner support members including an outer corner support member that is attached at an external corner to external surfaces of two side walls that abut one another and an inner corner support member that is attached at an internal corner to internal surfaces of the two side walls. 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The custom enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the custom enclosure is a mobile, semi-permanent or permanent structure and is built for use as cladding, a partition wall, a multi-wall assembly, an exterior structural wall, a shipping container, a storage container, an educational structure, a classroom, a portable classroom, a school structure, a military structure, a command centre, a correctional facility, a penitentiary structure, a hospital structure, a medical clinic structure, a patient room, a nursing station, an operating room unit, an intensive care unit, a pharmacy structure, a testing centre, a vaccination centre, a quarantine facility, a laboratory structure, a cleanroom, a long-term care facility, a natural disaster safe shelter, a biocontainment room (in case of chemical or biological attack or outbreak), a safe room, an indigenous community housing structure, a vertical farming structure, a housing structure, a social housing structure, a remote community structure, a grow room, a multi-story housing structure, a cottage, a restaurant structure, a bar structure, a retail structure, a shop, a mining structure or a specialty enclosure. 
     
     
         60 . A wall panel for use in a multi-panel wall system having at least two horizontally offset wall panels, wherein the wall panel comprises:
 a panel section having:
 front and back surfaces, the back surface being opposite the front surface; and 
 left and right side sections including side surfaces that are each extending away from the panel section and having rear surfaces extending laterally inward therefrom, at least one first interface component at the right side surface, at least one second interface component at the left side surface and at least one third interface component on each of the rear surfaces, 
   
       wherein the at least one first interface component of the wall panel is adapted to connect in a lateral manner with at least one corresponding second interface component of an adjacent wall panel, and 
       wherein the at least one third interface component of the wall panel is adapted to connect to at least one corresponding third interface component on an opposing wall panel in a horizontally offset manner. 
     
     
         61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A connection system for a custom enclosure, wherein the connection system comprises:
 at least one upper longitudinal support beam comprising a top surface, an outer side, an inner side, and a lateral shelf extending from the inner side, the outer side having a lateral extent that is smaller than a lateral extent of the inner side, wherein the at least one longitudinal support beam is connectable to a portion of a wall system and a portion of a roof system to form an enclosure for the custom enclosure.   
     
     
         63 . The connection system of  claim 62 , wherein the channel of the at least one longitudinal upper support beam is adapted to receive an upper section of the portion of the wall system; and/or wherein the top section of the at least one upper longitudinal support beam is adapted to receive a lower surface of the portion of the roof system. 
     
     
         64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . The connection system of  claim 62 , wherein the lateral shelf of the at least one upper longitudinal support beam is adapted to support a portion of at least one ceiling panel. 
     
     
         66 . The connection system of  claim 62 , wherein the at least one upper longitudinal support beam is further defined according to  claim 39 . 
     
     
         67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A method of assembling a custom enclosure, wherein the method comprises:
 assembling a floor and roof skeleton for the custom enclosure;   assembling a floor system using the floor skeleton;   assembling interior wall panels that are defined according to  claim 60  to form a first wall panel layer for one or more walls of the custom enclosure and connecting the interior wall panels to the floor system;   installing components along cavities of the interior wall panels, where the components are used during operation of the custom enclosure;   assembling exterior wall panels that are defined according to  claim 60  to form a second wall panel layer for the one or more walls of the custom enclosure and connecting the exterior wall panels to the floor system;   installing a ceiling system with ceiling panels where the ceiling system is coupled to the roof skeleton;   running at least some of the components from the interior wall panels to above the ceiling system; and   installing a roof system having roof panels that are attachable.   
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the method comprises installing upper longitudinal support members at an upper portion of the one or more walls for facilitating the connection of the ceiling system and the roof system to one or more sidewalls along the perimeter of the custom enclosure, where the upper longitudinal support members are defined according to any one of claims  60  to  65 . 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the method comprises installing outer and inner corner support members as defined in  claim 57 . 
     
     
         72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein assembling the floor and roof skeleton comprises using lower longitudinal support members, cross members and longitudinal connection members wherein the floor system comprises at least one lower longitudinal support beam, and at least one longitudinal connection member are disposed on top of the at least one lower longitudinal support beam and has a middle horizontal section for connection to the at least one longitudinal support beam, an outer downward vertical section at a first edge of the middle horizontal section for connection to at least one exterior wall panel and an upward vertical section at a second opposing edge of the middle horizontal section for connection to at least one interior wall panel. 
     
     
         74 . (canceled) 
     
     
         75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the method comprises installing one or more intermediate wall panel layers between the interior wall panels and the exterior wall panels. 
     
     
         77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the method comprises using different materials for the exterior wall panels and the intermediate wall panels and/or including different materials within cavities of the exterior wall panels and the intermediate wall panels and selecting the different materials to provide insulation, resistance to bullets, and/or absorption or impacts or explosions. 
     
     
         79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the method comprises: (a) assembling the floor system, (b) separately assembling the wall system and (c) installing the assembled wall system to the floor system. 
     
     
         81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . (canceled) 
     
     
         84 . (canceled)